InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Forbidden Love ❯ Chapter VII ( Chapter 7 )
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: rockthedragon7 
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Drama / Romance | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 02.27.2005 | Updated On: 03.31.2005 | Pages: 1 | Words: 1.4K | Visits: 253 | Status: Completed
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Drama / Romance | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 02.27.2005 | Updated On: 03.31.2005 | Pages: 1 | Words: 1.4K | Visits: 253 | Status: Completed
Forbidden Love: Chapter VII
Izayoi lightly skipped down the steps of the garden terraces, her nose buried deep into a book. Her father had taken leave to the village, mumbling and grumbling something about ‘dratted work’ and ‘pompous, money-stealing…’. She hadn’t made a point of listening, for she had heard the same thing once every month for all of her life, and simply gave a wave to her father as he started off. Eyes intent on the story in her hands, she settled on the wooden plank that served as the seat of the willow tree swing, letting it slowly rock back and forth, back and forth…
“A magnificent day,” came a deep voice from above her, and Izayoi jumped up from the swing in alarm, dropping her book and turning her wide eyes upward. There, reclined comfortably in the shade of the willow tree’s high branches, was none other than the demon lord, Sugimi. He smiled down at her. “What say you, Izayoi?”
Izayoi took a moment to place a hand on her chest to calm her rapidly beating heart. “My lord, you frightened me. I did not expect to see you here.”
Sugimi tilted his head, gracefully stepping into a crouch, and walking along the branch with feline-like ease, giving a chuckle. “Why, you said yourself only yesterday that you wished to see me again someday…” With practiced agility and elegance, he leapt down from the branches, disappearing behind the tree, his head peeking out from around, his long silver hair dancing and skipping playfully. “…and here I am.” Sugimi came around the tree, and he picked the book from the ground, brushing the dirt from its cover. “Hyakunin Isshu,” he mused, observing the tome. “I have read this.” He held the story out to her, gesturing for her to take it from his hand.
Izayoi reached out, hesitantly taking the book. “You like poetry as well?”
Sugimi gave a nod of his head. “Of course, the volume wasn’t so large when I first studied it, which would have been in eleven-hundred-forty-four.” He began a casual stroll toward the garden, leaving Izayoi to stand dumbfounded for a moment.
She hurried after him. “Eleven-hundred-forty-four was nearly three centuries ago,” she stated with quiet fascination.
Sugimi chuckled, that deep, rolling sound. “Indeed it was.”
Izayoi played with a question in her mind as she walked alongside the demon lord. She was not surprised that he had read it almost three centuries before. Demons could live far, far longer than humans, so it was not unreasonable. Yet, she was curious. Just how aged was this powerful demon lord? “How old are you?” she finally asked as they stepped upon the little white bridge over the stream.
Sugimi leaned his elbows on the railing, glancing down at his reflection dancing on the surface of the water. “I shall reach my six-hundred and ninetieth year this coming winter.” Again, she was not surprised, but intrigued that one so old - by her human standards - was standing next to her…appearing to her eyes as no older than perhaps twenty. “You would not believe how bored one can get in six centuries.”
Izayoi laughed at that. “No. And I never will.”
Sugimi furrowed his brow, resting his chin in a cupped palm. “No, I don’t suppose.”
“It must be fascinating,” Izayoi commented as she leaned ahead on the railing, “all the things you have seen.”
“Fascinating?” Sugimi echoed incredulously. “Disillusioned is more appropriate, I would say.” Izayoi tilted her head in interest at his unusual words. “This country is crumbling to war. Empires have fallen, and rulers have become corrupt. Our cousins from the land across the sea attempted invasion on our nation in twelve seventy-four. Conflict within our own borders has left children weeping over the tattered bodies of their slain mothers and fathers, and the wounded dying on roadsides, whether by injury or by claw, as they crawl on their bellies, crying out for help. Yet such cries fall upon deaf ears. The people can no longer hear temples falling.” He shook his head, his hands clenching around the railing, his claws unconsciously sinking into the wood. His words came as a furious growl, which resonated from deep within Sugimi’s chest. “This world is under the control of the tightfisted and the foolish. There is no room left for gentleness, or for the meek. There is naught but selfishness…” He paused, forgetting his anger as he glanced at Izayoi. There was sympathy in her eyes. “I have been told that I will never change things,” Sugimi said quietly.
Izayoi smiled. “By the way you speak, I almost believe that you can.” The demon lord felt a shock sunder up and down his spine at the statement. For a long moment, he stared into her eyes, his fiery golden orbs searching her beautiful face, reading her soul which so understood his.
“Lord Sugimi!” came a call. Sugimi rolled his eyes with a groan, recognizing the voice of the flea demon. Myoga leapt upon the demon lord’s shoulder, crossing his four arms and glaring from Sugimi to Izayoi and back again. “I thought I could find you here, my lord. Have more difficulties?”
Sugimi identified the snide remark from his conversation with the flea the day before. He narrowed his eyes menacingly at the tiny demon, but pointedly ignored the comment. “Myoga, lovely to see you.” He glanced to Izayoi. “You remember the young lady from the forest.”
Izayoi politely bowed her head. “I am pleased to meet you.”
Myoga simply waved a hand, and turned his head with a great, “Hmpf!” which received a fierce look from the demon lord, and a powerful set of claws about him. Sugimi made a point of clenching his strong fist, knowing well enough that it would not harm the insolent little flea. When the demon lord opened his hand, a relatively flat Myoga promptly bowed low to Izayoi. “I beg you pardon my rudeness, my lady.”
Izayoi laughed. “You have my pardon, Master Myoga.”
Myoga bowed several more times. “Thank you greatly, my lady.”
Sugimi grinned. “Now, what brings you here, my tiny friend?”
“Master Sesshomaru wishes to speak with you, my lord. He says that it is a matter of great importance,” the flea answered, raising his head to peer up at the demon lord.
“Damn it all! Can’t he spend a single day without beseeching my attention!?” Sugimi growled. “Tell him that I’ve my own matters to think about. Go on, now! Tell him!”
Myoga held onto the demon lord’s finger before Sugimi could give him a lofty pitch to start him off on his way. “But, my lord! It’s about…” He nodded his head toward Izayoi.
Sugimi frowned. “Why would he be concerned with the girl?”
Myoga shrugged, pretending that he had no knowledge of the growing friendship between the human and his lord. “Well…”
Izayoi touched Sugimi’s arm. “It’s alright. Go speak to this Master Sesshomaru. My father will be home soon, and I don’t imagine that he will take the presence of a demon, above all Sugimi Inu no Taishou, in his garden very lightly.”
The demon lord hesitated, but nodded. “Point taken. Perhaps we shall meet again soon. I quite enjoy these times with you.” Izayoi put a hand to her mouth to cover her flighty smile, and a blush crept across her face. He turned to leave, but halted, spinning back to face her. With a wave of his fingers, a blue and gold blossom appeared in his hand, which he held to her. “A beautiful flower for a beautiful woman,” he whispered when she took it. “Farewell, my lady.”
She hardly even noticed the azure cloud form beneath his feet and carry him away, off into the sky, for she felt she would swoon from the frivolous bubbles flying to her already delightfully giddy head. Izayoi smiled down at the lovely blossom in her hands, incandescent and glittering in the sunlight. The flower was a fabrication of magic, something that Sugimi seemed wonderfully familiar with, and it struck her. Was that the reason that the ikarisou were still living and as radiant as they were when she picked them? Were they ingrained with the same enchantment that put this gorgeous flower into her hands? Izayoi turned her eyes upward. Sugimi Inu no Taishou…
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Izayoi lightly skipped down the steps of the garden terraces, her nose buried deep into a book. Her father had taken leave to the village, mumbling and grumbling something about ‘dratted work’ and ‘pompous, money-stealing…’. She hadn’t made a point of listening, for she had heard the same thing once every month for all of her life, and simply gave a wave to her father as he started off. Eyes intent on the story in her hands, she settled on the wooden plank that served as the seat of the willow tree swing, letting it slowly rock back and forth, back and forth…
“A magnificent day,” came a deep voice from above her, and Izayoi jumped up from the swing in alarm, dropping her book and turning her wide eyes upward. There, reclined comfortably in the shade of the willow tree’s high branches, was none other than the demon lord, Sugimi. He smiled down at her. “What say you, Izayoi?”
Izayoi took a moment to place a hand on her chest to calm her rapidly beating heart. “My lord, you frightened me. I did not expect to see you here.”
Sugimi tilted his head, gracefully stepping into a crouch, and walking along the branch with feline-like ease, giving a chuckle. “Why, you said yourself only yesterday that you wished to see me again someday…” With practiced agility and elegance, he leapt down from the branches, disappearing behind the tree, his head peeking out from around, his long silver hair dancing and skipping playfully. “…and here I am.” Sugimi came around the tree, and he picked the book from the ground, brushing the dirt from its cover. “Hyakunin Isshu,” he mused, observing the tome. “I have read this.” He held the story out to her, gesturing for her to take it from his hand.
Izayoi reached out, hesitantly taking the book. “You like poetry as well?”
Sugimi gave a nod of his head. “Of course, the volume wasn’t so large when I first studied it, which would have been in eleven-hundred-forty-four.” He began a casual stroll toward the garden, leaving Izayoi to stand dumbfounded for a moment.
She hurried after him. “Eleven-hundred-forty-four was nearly three centuries ago,” she stated with quiet fascination.
Sugimi chuckled, that deep, rolling sound. “Indeed it was.”
Izayoi played with a question in her mind as she walked alongside the demon lord. She was not surprised that he had read it almost three centuries before. Demons could live far, far longer than humans, so it was not unreasonable. Yet, she was curious. Just how aged was this powerful demon lord? “How old are you?” she finally asked as they stepped upon the little white bridge over the stream.
Sugimi leaned his elbows on the railing, glancing down at his reflection dancing on the surface of the water. “I shall reach my six-hundred and ninetieth year this coming winter.” Again, she was not surprised, but intrigued that one so old - by her human standards - was standing next to her…appearing to her eyes as no older than perhaps twenty. “You would not believe how bored one can get in six centuries.”
Izayoi laughed at that. “No. And I never will.”
Sugimi furrowed his brow, resting his chin in a cupped palm. “No, I don’t suppose.”
“It must be fascinating,” Izayoi commented as she leaned ahead on the railing, “all the things you have seen.”
“Fascinating?” Sugimi echoed incredulously. “Disillusioned is more appropriate, I would say.” Izayoi tilted her head in interest at his unusual words. “This country is crumbling to war. Empires have fallen, and rulers have become corrupt. Our cousins from the land across the sea attempted invasion on our nation in twelve seventy-four. Conflict within our own borders has left children weeping over the tattered bodies of their slain mothers and fathers, and the wounded dying on roadsides, whether by injury or by claw, as they crawl on their bellies, crying out for help. Yet such cries fall upon deaf ears. The people can no longer hear temples falling.” He shook his head, his hands clenching around the railing, his claws unconsciously sinking into the wood. His words came as a furious growl, which resonated from deep within Sugimi’s chest. “This world is under the control of the tightfisted and the foolish. There is no room left for gentleness, or for the meek. There is naught but selfishness…” He paused, forgetting his anger as he glanced at Izayoi. There was sympathy in her eyes. “I have been told that I will never change things,” Sugimi said quietly.
Izayoi smiled. “By the way you speak, I almost believe that you can.” The demon lord felt a shock sunder up and down his spine at the statement. For a long moment, he stared into her eyes, his fiery golden orbs searching her beautiful face, reading her soul which so understood his.
“Lord Sugimi!” came a call. Sugimi rolled his eyes with a groan, recognizing the voice of the flea demon. Myoga leapt upon the demon lord’s shoulder, crossing his four arms and glaring from Sugimi to Izayoi and back again. “I thought I could find you here, my lord. Have more difficulties?”
Sugimi identified the snide remark from his conversation with the flea the day before. He narrowed his eyes menacingly at the tiny demon, but pointedly ignored the comment. “Myoga, lovely to see you.” He glanced to Izayoi. “You remember the young lady from the forest.”
Izayoi politely bowed her head. “I am pleased to meet you.”
Myoga simply waved a hand, and turned his head with a great, “Hmpf!” which received a fierce look from the demon lord, and a powerful set of claws about him. Sugimi made a point of clenching his strong fist, knowing well enough that it would not harm the insolent little flea. When the demon lord opened his hand, a relatively flat Myoga promptly bowed low to Izayoi. “I beg you pardon my rudeness, my lady.”
Izayoi laughed. “You have my pardon, Master Myoga.”
Myoga bowed several more times. “Thank you greatly, my lady.”
Sugimi grinned. “Now, what brings you here, my tiny friend?”
“Master Sesshomaru wishes to speak with you, my lord. He says that it is a matter of great importance,” the flea answered, raising his head to peer up at the demon lord.
“Damn it all! Can’t he spend a single day without beseeching my attention!?” Sugimi growled. “Tell him that I’ve my own matters to think about. Go on, now! Tell him!”
Myoga held onto the demon lord’s finger before Sugimi could give him a lofty pitch to start him off on his way. “But, my lord! It’s about…” He nodded his head toward Izayoi.
Sugimi frowned. “Why would he be concerned with the girl?”
Myoga shrugged, pretending that he had no knowledge of the growing friendship between the human and his lord. “Well…”
Izayoi touched Sugimi’s arm. “It’s alright. Go speak to this Master Sesshomaru. My father will be home soon, and I don’t imagine that he will take the presence of a demon, above all Sugimi Inu no Taishou, in his garden very lightly.”
The demon lord hesitated, but nodded. “Point taken. Perhaps we shall meet again soon. I quite enjoy these times with you.” Izayoi put a hand to her mouth to cover her flighty smile, and a blush crept across her face. He turned to leave, but halted, spinning back to face her. With a wave of his fingers, a blue and gold blossom appeared in his hand, which he held to her. “A beautiful flower for a beautiful woman,” he whispered when she took it. “Farewell, my lady.”
She hardly even noticed the azure cloud form beneath his feet and carry him away, off into the sky, for she felt she would swoon from the frivolous bubbles flying to her already delightfully giddy head. Izayoi smiled down at the lovely blossom in her hands, incandescent and glittering in the sunlight. The flower was a fabrication of magic, something that Sugimi seemed wonderfully familiar with, and it struck her. Was that the reason that the ikarisou were still living and as radiant as they were when she picked them? Were they ingrained with the same enchantment that put this gorgeous flower into her hands? Izayoi turned her eyes upward. Sugimi Inu no Taishou…
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